I wrote a post this morning as I was preparing to fly home from Newark. And when I published it, I noticed that it was my 449th blog post. So I thought I would write number 500 today to say, “Wow, I have written 450 blog posts!”

About a week ago, someone wrote a comment to me about something I wrote in June, 2006. When I read the comment, I was a little surprised. It had not dawned on me that I had been writing this blog that long.

This occasion caused me to do a little reflection. Here is a random collection of my thoughts and feelings about writing this weblog.

I think the name of this blog, HBlogCharlesJr., is hilarious. No one has ever mentioned it to me. But there are times when I read it and just crack up.

I decided to try blogging after reading Dr. Ray Pritchard’s blog for months.

I love to write. I use the word “love” only because I cannot think of a stronger word to describe my passion for writing. I love words and sentences and grammar and editing and ideas. I love to write. And writing this blog is giving more confidence that I can and should put some of my work in book form soon.

I read books on blogging. And, yes, if I was in high school, I would be sitting with the geeks and nerds at lunch.

Yes, I write all of my own blog posts. I do not have any “ghost-bloggers” writing stuff for me. However, I would like to publish some guest blog posts in the future.

Blogging really doesn’t take up much of my time. I am a husband, father, pastor, and dog-owner. And time is one of the most precious commodity that I have. So I wouldn’t be able to let this blog consume too much of my time. So sometimes I write everyday. Other times I write several posts at a time and publish them at a later date. And when I don’t feel like it, I don’t blog at all.

The time a post is published does not necessarily reflect when it was written.

I try not to blog when I am in a bad mood or am having negative thoughts. I don’t want my writing to be cynical. So there are some times when I go several days without posting in order to give myself some time to get out of a funky mood.

I do not write about politics.

It is really cool to meet people around the country who keep up with me, my family, and my ministry through this blog. Please, keep reading.

I have absolutely no idea how many people read this blog. And I don’t think I want to know.

I read every comment anyone makes on my blog. But I do not respond to them as much as I would like to. I will try harder to start some stimulating conversations and then actually participate in them to help keep them going.

As much as it seems that I share a lot of personal stuff on this blog, I am actually a rather private man. Go figure.

I think it’s groovy that more pastors and preachers are taking up blogging. And, yes, I used the word “groovy.”

Do not trust anything that I write about sports. I am a passionate sports fan. And, like most sports fans, I have strong opinions about everything. They are usually wrong. (Oh, by the way,  “Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!”)

I hate it when mean people use blogs to vomit their negativity on other people. You should never say something about a person on a blog that you wouldn’t say to that person’s face.

It is wrong to post other people’s material as your own. If you think someone has written something that your readers should read, then you should make a link on your blog to the original post and let people read the work in the context of the original author’s own site. This is proper “blog etiquette.”

If you were to ask me what my blog is about, I would probably respond with a blank stare. I really don’t know. My blog is about everything and nothing. Yeah. It’s the Matrix.

In the future, I hope to post a serious article on various subjects each week. My plan is to publish these articles sometime on Thursdays. I also plan to post a sermon manuscript on the blog each week, as soon as I can figure out how to do it.

I am really into music, especially Gospel music. And I have been planning to regularly write a review of Gospel CD’s. But I am still a little uncertain about it. To be honest, there is so much bad but popular music out there, it’s difficult to find a whole CD I could freely recommend. To be fair, there is just as much bad preaching these days. These two villains conspire together against the life and health of the church

The opinions expressed in this blog do not necessary express the views of my wife, my children, my family, my friends, or my congregation. However, my dog Lido fully agrees with everything I write.